At a glance
Under 18s can get travel cover either as a solo policy or under a family policy.
Cover usually includes medical expenses, lost luggage and holiday cancellations.
UK residents should carry a GHIC card when travelling in the EU and Switzerland.
If your child is travelling as an ‘unaccompanied minor’, check the airline’s age limit rules.
Why under-18s might want travel insurance?
No matter how sensible your child is, you’ll want them to be covered for unexpected events while on holiday, including:
Lost or stolen luggage
Flight cancellation cover
Overseas medical treatment
Flying home in an emergency.
Medical treatment abroad can be eye-wateringly expensive. This is especially true in places such as the USA and Canada, or if you require repatriation to the UK for treatment.
Is it possible to get travel insurance for children travelling alone?
Many insurance providers will offer travel insurance for a child under 18, whether they’re travelling with you, with another adult or alone.
You can compare under-18 travel insurance easily with Compare the Market. Just be aware that a parent, legal guardian or other adult over the age of 18 needs to complete these details on the traveller’s behalf.
You’ll also need to check carefully what’s covered by the policy. Be very clear on what the situation is if your child is taken ill abroad, for example.
What does under-18 travel insurance cover?
A good child travel insurance policy could cover:
Medical expenses – if your child falls ill or is injured during their trip, this will cover treatment for a medical emergency.
Repatriation – if your child would be better off being treated at home, this will cover the cost of getting them back to the UK.
Theft, loss, and damage to luggage – to cover baggage and personal items during their trip. If they’re taking expensive gadgets like a smartphone or tablet with them, you might want to consider additional gadget cover.
Cancellation and curtailment – can cover costs if your child’s trip has to be cancelled or cut short because of a reason listed in the policy, like illness, injury or bereavement.
Activities and sports – check the policy to see which sports and activities are covered as standard. You might need to pay extra for your child to be covered for skiing and snowboarding and more adventurous activities like horse riding and zip-lining.
Travel insurance is available as single trip cover or an annual multi-trip policy. Annual travel insurance covers unlimited trips over a 12-month period, whereas single-trip travel insurance covers a one-off trip.
Top tip
It’s well worth sorting out your child’s travel insurance as soon as their trip is booked. That way, they’ll have cover in place should they need to cancel before they’re due to leave.
What’s not covered by under-18 travel insurance?
As with any standard travel insurance, your child’s policy won’t usually cover:
Mishaps involving alcohol or drugs – your child won’t be covered for any injuries or accidents that occur if they’re under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Pre-existing medical conditions that haven’t been declared to your insurance provider.
Extreme sports – a standard policy won’t usually cover high-adrenaline sports or adventure activities like rock climbing, white-water rafting or canoeing. But you can usually get additional cover for an extra cost.
Acts of terrorism – some policies may offer limited cover for terrorist acts. At the very least, make sure your child’s policy covers emergency medical treatment as a result of a terrorist attack.
Travel to a country against FCDO advice.
Is my child covered on our family travel insurance?
Maybe. If you have an existing family travel insurance policy, check your policy documents before you buy separate children's travel insurance.
Some family policies will cover children travelling without their parents, as long as they're accompanied by a responsible adult. Check with your insurance provider or read the policy terms to confirm.
Does my child need under-18 travel insurance for school trips?
If your child is going on a school trip, don’t jump straight in and compare travel insurance for under 18s before checking what cover you might already have through:
Your family travel insurance policy, if you have one, may offer school trip travel insurance.
The school may have insurance in place for the trip, so ask what’s included before you buy your own policy.
Once you know the details, you can decide whether your child needs additional under-18s travel insurance.
What do I need to think about before I compare travel insurance for under 18s?
The destination: If your child is planning an Interrail trip in France and Germany, for example, they’ll need European cover. If they’re travelling to the United States, they’ll need worldwide cover including the USA. If they’re visiting multiple countries in one trip, you should consider backpacker insurance.
The activities: Is your child going on a skiing trip to the Alps? You’ll need to add winter sports cover to their under-18 travel insurance. Find out more about winter sports travel insurance and extreme sports travel insurance.
Get them a GHIC Card: This provides state-funded healthcare within the EU and, for UK residents, Switzerland. The UK and Australia also have a reciprocal public healthcare agreement, although, this doesn’t cover things like ambulance trips, repatriation and follow-up treatment. The GHIC doesn’t replace an under-18 travel insurance policy, but it might help towards emergency or necessary medical costs. Some travel insurance companies may not charge the policy excess if your child needs to claim and has used a GHIC card.
Customers with pre-existing medical conditions
If your child has a health condition, their travel insurance is likely to be more expensive.
Whatever happens, tell your insurance provider the truth. If you give false information or miss something out, your claim could be rejected.
When you declare any medical conditions on our website, we’ll only show you quotes from insurance providers that will cover them with no exclusions.
If your condition is more serious, MoneyHelper has a directory of insurance providers who may be able to provide quotes over the phone. You can call them on 0800 138 7777.
Compare travel insurance for children under 18
Compare the Market is an easy way to compare under-18 travel insurance providers with just a few clicks.
We can help you compare policies for your young traveller, to ensure they have the cover they need for their adventures away from home.
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FAQs
What does ‘unaccompanied minor’ mean?
‘Unaccompanied minor’ is a term used by airlines for children, typically between the ages of five and 17, who travel alone.
The age limits for unaccompanied minors vary among airlines, and some won’t allow children under a certain age to travel alone at all. Or some may insist you book an unaccompanied minor escort service. So always check the airline’s requirements before your child travels.
There’s likely to be legal documentation to complete several days or even weeks before your child is due to travel. And your unaccompanied child will need to bring the necessary documents with them to the airport.
Can I get cover for my child if they travel abroad with another family?
If your child isn’t already covered by a family travel insurance policy, you can get cover for your child if they’re going away with a friend’s family.
You’ll need to take out an individual policy for them, so you should compare quotes from insurance providers that offer cover for teens and children.
Will my child need travel insurance for a trip within the UK?
While they won’t need medical cover, as they’re already covered by the NHS, UK travel insurance can still be useful cover for holiday cancellation and lost or stolen baggage.
Can I get travel insurance for my baby or toddler?
Yes, everyone in your family should have travel insurance when travelling abroad, no matter how young they are.
A good policy should also cover baby equipment that you need to take with you, like a travel cot, baby seat and buggy.
Your baby should be included under your adult policy – and some family travel insurance policies offer free cover for little ones. However, your baby will need to be named on your policy in order to be covered. Check with your insurance provider to be sure who and what your policy covers.
Does my child need a GHIC card when travelling?
It’s a good idea to get your child a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if they’re travelling to Europe.
The GHIC is a replacement for the old EHIC card. It entitles your child to ‘emergency and necessary’ state-provided medical care in EU countries and Switzerland (for UK residents).
However, a GHIC can’t be used outside Europe and, crucially, won’t cover your child for repatriation, lost baggage or flight cancellations, so they’ll still need travel insurance.
If your child is under 16, you’ll need to apply for a GHIC on their behalf.
With more than eight years’ experience in writing and sub-editing content, Karen started her career in fashion before making the move to insurance. She now specialises in producing clear, engaging content that helps people make better financial decisions.
Karen’s areas of expertise include insurance products, such as car insurance, travel insurance and life insurance, as well as utilities such as energy comparison.
Stephen Maunder is an experienced personal finance editor, having spent more than a decade working for consumer print and online titles. He won several industry awards for his personal finance features at Which?, before becoming Deputy Editor at Compare the Market.
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